Families Flee From Violent Persecution in Pakistan

We parents constantly caution our children, particularly teens, about what they post on Facebook and other social media. We never imagine it could lead to a child’s execution. For Christians living in Pakistan it can turn into a real life horror story.

On February 20, 2018, at least 800 families fled a Christian neighborhood near Lahore, Pakistan following the arrest of a 20-year-old Christian man, Patras Masih, who was accused of posting allegedly blasphemous material on Facebook over a month before.

Our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice’s (ECLJ) office in Pakistan, the Organization for Legal Aid (OLA), went to Shahadra, Lahore, after hearing of the incident. They spoke to the local police Station House Officer (SHO), who said that Patras Masih was in police custody, and that it would be best if the local Christians did not return to their homes for two or three days until the situation had cooled down. The Head Constable told us that, according to the allegation, Patras had posted a picture on Facebook putting a mosque under his feet.

A Pakistani daily reported that on February 19 a mob set tires on fire and blocked part of a main road in Lahore, home to the largest population of Christians in Pakistan, demanding that Patras be publicly hanged for disrespecting the prophet Muhammad. A local pastor told World Watch Monitor that several men in the gathering demanded that Patras Masih be delivered to them. Gas cans in hand, they threatened to set the neighborhood on fire if the mob’s demands were not complied with. Consequently, over 800 families fled the neighborhood where the mob gathered.

According to his uncle, Patras was arrested the evening of January 19. A press conference was held the next day with a few Islamic clerics and Christian leaders at the Shahdara police station, after which the leaders signed a joint statement calling for a return of peace, and stating that “[Christians] will respect the religion of Muslims and holy places and their religious festivals and they [the leaders] will teach this to the members of the community.” Patras’ family is now in hiding.

On February 23, Pakistani news agencies reported that Patras’ cousin, Sajid Masih, jumped from the fourth floor of the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) building. According to a video testimony recorded at the hospital, Sajid stated that the officials summoned him to their office. After he went there, they beat him. When he asked why they were beating him, they said that his fault was that he was Patras’ cousin. He further stated that the officers demanded that he sexually abuse Patras. Sajid said that he couldn’t do that, and when the officers got upset he ran and jumped out of the open window. The FIA has also filed a case against Sajid for attempted suicide.

We ask you to keep Patras, his family, and the many other Christians of Lahore in your prayers, especially for their safe return to their homes and for the police and other Muslims to deal with the situation wisely.

Lahore, Pakistan is the same city where we told you a suicide bomber detonated an explosive at an Easter Service held by local Christians, killing over 70 innocent people, many of the victims young people and teens. Our own affiliate office in Pakistan was on the ground and our team surveyed this devastation personally.

After that is was an attack on a Christian church during Sunday services. And the heartbreaking sagas of Asia Bibi, the Christian mother the ACLJ continues to fight for, locked away in prison, awaiting execution for the “heinous crime” offering a Muslim a glass of water. Pakistan is getting more dangerous and less peaceful for Christians.

It’s no wonder the United States has stepped up, cutting all foreign aid to Pakistan until they take action, and the U.S. Department of State has placed them on a Special Watch List for violations of religious freedoms. As we reported, over the last 15 years we sent Pakistan nearly $34 Billion. Not anymore. The President has frozen over a billion dollars earmarked for aid to Pakistan until they fix this horrific situation.

But the world’s leaders must intervene as well. We have filed a report through our European office to the U.N. Human Rights Council documenting these atrocities. The U.N. must demand Pakistan protect Christians and bring these violent agitators to justice.

This latest incident is only further proof abuses against Christians in Pakistan are out of control. No child should be killed for a Facebook post, nor should anyone be harmed for their faith.

The ACLJ will continue to fight on behalf of persecuted Christians at the United Nations, here at home before Congress, and all over the world through our affiliate offices.

Receive the latest news, updates, and contribution opportunities from ACLJ.

As we aggressively fight in Pakistani courts to defend dying Christians, every donation (even $5) makes a difference & will be MATCHED. Have your gift doubled through our Matching Challenge.

If you are having technical difficulties with our donation processor, it may be overloaded at the moment. Please refresh or check our site again in a couple of hours as we work to resolve any issues. For any questions or to make a donation by phone, please call our Member Services department at ‎1-800-342-2255‎.

As we aggressively fight in Pakistani courts to defend dying Christians, every donation (even $5) makes a difference & will be MATCHED. Have your gift doubled through our Matching Challenge.

Our payment processor is overloaded at the moment. Please consider using PayPal to donate, or check our site again in a couple of hours as they work to resolve any issues. For any questions or to make a donation by phone, please call our Member Services department at ‎1-800-342-2255‎.

Encourage your friends to sign and donate by sharing this petition.

Thank you for making a donation!

Thank you for making your generous, tax-deductible gift to the American Center for Law and Justice. Your support is greatly appreciated. A confirmation of your gift will be emailed to you shortly. To learn how we manage the resources you provide, click here.

Good fences may make good neighbors, but in countries like Pakistan where religious tensions are high, even a simple dispute can become an excuse for violence. Our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice’s (ECLJ) office in Pakistan, the Organization for Legal Aid (OLA),

The long-simmering battle between the federal government and the state of California’s lawless agenda has erupted as part of escalating conflict last week after the Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to strike down the state’s attempt to usurp federal authority and write its own immigration...

In January 2017, China’s new Administrative Law on Activities of Overseas Non-Governmental Organizations (“ONGOs”) went into effect, and it is impacting hundreds of international Christian groups that are sharing the gospel to the 1.6 billion people in China through medical, developmental, or...

For Christians in Pakistan, the nightmare of violence, brutality, and death continues to intensify. Innocent men, women, and precious children live in constant danger. We just appeared before the United Nations (U.N.) Human Rights Council in Geneva through our affiliate, the European Centre for Law...

This week we delivered an oral intervention before the United Nations (U.N.) Human Rights Council through our affiliate, the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ), urging the U.N. to take immediate action to provide for the lasting resettlement of Christians in Iraq and Syria. In our...

In January 2017, China’s new Administrative Law on Activities of Overseas Non-Governmental Organizations (“ONGOs”) went into effect, and it is impacting hundreds of international Christian groups that are sharing the gospel to the 1.6 billion people in China through medical, developmental, or...

UPDATE : Turkish prosecutor now states he has not turned in an indictment regarding Pastor Andrew Brunson. In an incredible turn of events this morning, Pastor Andrew’s Turkish attorney was able to meet face to face with the Turkish prosecutor, who is now denying the news reports that an indictment...

The ACLJ is an organization dedicated to the defense of constitutional liberties secured by law.

American Center for Law and Justice is a d/b/a for Christian Advocates Serving Evangelism,
Inc., a tax-exempt, not-for-profit, religious corporation as defined under Section 501(c)(3)
of the Internal Revenue Code, specifically dedicated to the ideal that religious freedom and
freedom of speech are inalienable, God-given rights. The Center's purpose is to engage legal,
legislative and cultural issues by implementing an effective strategy of advocacy, education
and litigation to ensure that those rights are protected under the law. The organization has
participated in numerous cases before the Supreme Court, Federal Court of Appeals, Federal
District Courts, and various state courts regarding freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
Your gift is very much appreciated and fully deductible as a charitable contribution. A copy
of our latest financial report may be obtained by writing to us at P.O. Box 90555, Washington,
DC 20090-0555.